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Hylters Cottage – South Downs AONB

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Case Study - Hylters Cottage - South Downs AONB
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Hylters Cottage – South Downs AONB

Enhancing Eco-Friendly Living with Next-Generation PV Thermal Solutions

Background

Our client owns a 12-year-old, award-winning property renowned for its full concrete construction and eco-friendly design. The building, situated in an AONB, which aimed to minimise air loss, initially utilised state-of-the-art solar thermal collectors for hot water. The client approached Eco-Engineering Limited for a new feasibility study and heat-loss calculation to upgrade their energy system and improve overall efficiency.

Challenges

The project posed several significant challenges:

Temperature regulation: Due to the property’s high insulation levels and large glass areas, cooling the building during hotter months became a significant issue. The designer needed to find a solution to efficiently reduce internal temperatures while maintaining the eco-friendly standards of the property.

System compatibility: We needed to integrate new technology with the existing setup to ensuring that all components would work seamlessly together to provide both heating and cooling efficiently.

Choosing the right innovative technology: Choosing suitable groundbreaking PV thermal collectors, which is a growing form of technology in the UK, presented the challenge of sourcing and installing a system that was still largely untested in the specific local market.

The solution

To address these challenges, we provided a comprehensive solution with the following components:

  • PV Thermal Collectors: Installed 12 Consolar 500W PV thermal modules. These next-generation collectors generate both electrical and heat energy simultaneously. The system, one of only three of its kind in the UK, was imported directly from Germany.
  • SolarEdge Hybrid Inverter and Battery Storage: We used a SolarEdge 5kW Hybrid inverter and a 10kW SolarEdge battery to ensure efficient energy conversion and storage, providing a reliable power source for the property.
  • Air Source Heat Pumps: Specified Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) were installed to meet the total electrical energy requirement, ensuring efficient heating and cooling. The thermal collectors also function in reverse, ejecting unwanted heat to help cool the property during the hotter months of the year.
  • System Integration: We ensured that all components, including the PV thermal collectors, inverters and battery storage were seamlessly integrated for optimal performance.

The Results/Stat

The implementation of these solutions led to several positive outcomes:

  • Propane independence: The property no longer relies on propane, now depending solely on electrical energy. This has enhanced the sustainability and reduced the carbon footprint of the property.
  • Cooling efficiency: The innovative PV thermal collectors effectively reduced internal temperatures. This addressed the challenge of overheating during summer months.

Conclusion

Our innovative approach to this project not only addressed the client’s immediate challenges but also significantly enhanced the property’s eco-friendly credentials. By integrating next-generation PV thermal technology and efficient energy storage solutions, we provided a sustainable and highly effective energy system. The project highlights our commitment to delivering cutting-edge renewable energy solutions and our ability to tackle complex projects with innovative technologies.

This case study will be updated with the estimated energy reduction figures once the full heat loss reports are available.

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